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The Natural Handyman

Exterior Mold

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Dear NH,
I have mold coming through the exterior walls of my home. Is their anything short of wrapping and re-siding the exterior that can be done?
SM from Clarkston, Washington

SM,
In a quest for particular knowledge, it is sometimes as simple as asking the right question! In this case, the question to ask is "Where is the moisture coming from?"

If the exterior siding is wet much of the time because the moldy side of the house is very shady (or if the entire house is in a damp, wooded area), doing some outside work such as wrapping the house with Tyvek or a similar house wrap and re-siding will indeed be beneficial. Then again, it might be easier (and cheaper) to prune back any foliage near the house or cut down a few trees to allow Mother Nature to do the drying for you... naturally!

However, if the problem is originating inside your home from a damp basement or crawl space, exterior work will not help. Rather, moisture proofing the walls and/or floor may show greater results with less expense.
NH

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